Divider-rotator mechanism

ABSTRACT

For dividing a series of items moving in a single row into two or more rows and for rotating certain of the items, conveyor means is provided having a working reach movable along a straight path and a plurality of support elements and a plurality of support plates are mounted on the conveyor and arranged for transverse sliding movement thereon together with a plurality of platforms rotatably mounted respectively on the support elements and a plurality of abutment elements are mounted on the conveyor in fixed relationship thereon adjacent the support elements respectively for engaging parts of the rotatable platforms respectively in coordination with transverse movement of the associated support elements to impart rotary movement thereto.

I United States Patent [151 3,677,389 Benatar et al. 1 July 18, 1972 [54] DIVlDER-ROTATOR MECHANISM 3,085,696 4/1963 Stainforth ..2 4/6 P 72 Inventors: Vlctor llenltar Atlan A. John-on l 1 Marietta, both a any Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Attorney-Walter M. Rodgers [73] Assignee: The Mead Corporation 22 Filed: 06:. 21, I970 [2]] APPL NO 82 758 For dividing a series of items moving in a single row into two or more rows and for rotating certain of the items, conveyor means is provided having a working reach movable along a US. Cl. All, AB slraighl and a ofsuppofl elemen's and a pluralfl Int. a t t t "B6,. y of sup ort lates are mounted on the conveyor and ar. [58] Field ol Search ..l9B/3l R, 31 AB, 33 AB; ranged f mmsvemc lidi movement thereon together with 214/6 P a plurality of platforms rotatably mounted respectively on the support elements and a plurality of abutment elements are [56] km Cm mounted on the conveyor in fixed relationship thereon ad- UNITED STATES PATENTS jacent the support elements respectively for engaging parts of the rotatable platforms respectively in coordtnatlon wlth Worcester et a! "[98, AB X transverse movement of the associated support elements to Ct al. "u" om movement there; 3,l65,l93 1/1965 Stevenson, Jr... ....l9B/33 AB X 3,580,379 5/197] Shuster et a]. ..198/33 AB X 4Clalrm, 8Drawlngflgures Patented July 18, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. VICTOR BENATAR ROY A. JOHNSON FIG, IA

4 ITORA/E Y Patented July 18, 1972 3,677,389

4 Sheets-Sheet '1 VICTOR BENATAR RoY A, JOHNSON ATTO/FA/EY' 4 Sheets-Sheet Patented July 18, 1972 3Q 32 l D INVENTOR,

VICTOR GEMATAR Raw A JOHNSON AffRA/EY FIG. 5

Patented July 18, 1972 4 Sheets-Sheet I 4 H R m n w MN I 4 EH a0 J V WA mm k YW B DIVIDER-ROTATOR MECHANISM Known mechanisms are adapted for receiving a single row of items and for dividing such items into two or more rows and other known mechanisms receive items moving in sequence along a predetermined path and impart rotary motion thereto.

According to this invention, a simple and efl'icient mechanism is provided which is adapted not only to divide a single row of items into two or more rows but such mechanism is adapted also to impart rotary motion to some or all of the items, the mechanism comprising conveyor means, a plurality of support elements mounted on the conveyor means and slidable transversely thereon, a plurality of platforms rotatably mounted respectively on said support elements, a plurality of abutment elements on said conveyor means and positioned adjacent said support elements for engagement by parts of said platforms respectively in cdordination with the respective transverse movement of said support elements relative to said conveyor means and means for imparting transverse movement to said support elements. If desired, a plurality of support plates may be mounted on the conveyor means and arranged for transverse movement thereon. Thus, items disposed on the platforms are formed into two or more rows from a single row due to the transverse movement of the support elements and such items are also rotated due to the rotary movement of the platforms mounted on the support elements. Items disposed on the support plates are simply moved transversely relative to the conveyor without rotating. By the expedient of selecting a predetermined pattern of orientation of support elements and their associated platforms relative to the support plates, a wide variety of patterns of item orientation may be achieved.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which FIG. I is a perspective view of a mechanism constructed according to the invention;

FIG. 1A is a plan view of a rotatable platform forming an essential element of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of items moving from right to left and which are divided into two rows and rotated by the mechanism of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the lines designated 3 3 in FIGS. 1 and FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along the line designated 4 4 in FIG. 6;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. I and which depicts a different application of the invention; and in which FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view similar to FIG. 2 and which represents another application of the invention.

In the drawings, a supporting frame I is provided with suitable known mechanism for supporting the conveyor generally designated by the numeral 2 which in turn comprises a pair of endless elements such as chains 3 and 4 which are spaced apart and support the opposite ends of a plurality of transversely disposed rods 5. Chains 3 and 4 of course are supported on suitable sprockets (not shown) at least two of which constitute driving means by which movement is imparted to the conveyor 2. Disposed atop frame 1 are coverplates 6 and 7 and a conveyor 8 is disposed at the infeed end of the dividerrotator of FIG. I and serves to convey a series of items such as that designated in FIG. I as "P". Items P could constitute a secondary package of the wrap-a-round type in which a plurality of primary packages are disposed. Items such as a series of packages I are fed in on conveyor 8 in a single row and are divided into two or more rows by the mechanism of this invention and at least some of the elements are rotated as well as divided into two or more rows.

In order to impart rotary motion as well as transverse motion to certain items such as are designated "P", a plurality of rotatable platforms ll, 12, I3 and I4 are mounted on support elements -18 inclusive which are movable transversely relative to the working reach of conveyor 2 as shown in FIG. I.

As is best seen in FIG. 5, rotatable platforms l2 and 13 are rotatable about their respective center points 19 and 20 which in turn are supported by plates 16 and t7, the ends of which are mounted by bolts 21, 22, 23 and 24 to support beams 25 and 26. Support beam 25 is provided with a collar 27 which slidably envelope transverse rod 28 while collar 29 is disposed at the other end of support beam 25 and slidably envelops transversely disposed rod 30. In like fashion beam 26 is supported at one end through collar 31 which slidably envelops rod 28 and at the other end by collar 32 which slidably envelops rod 30.

Since the support element for platform 13 is identical to that for platform 12, such structure in the drawings is designated by the same numerals.

In order to impart transverse movement to the support elements l6 and 17 and their associated rotatable platforms I2 and 13, a pair of cam tracks 33 and 34 are fixed in position immediately below the working reach of the conveyor 2 and cooperate with cams 35 and 36 respectively. Cam 35 associated with support element I7 rides along the cam surface of the cam track 33 as the conveyor moves from right to left as viewed in FIG. 5 and thus imparts motion toward the right to support element 17 or upwardly as viewed in FIG. 5. In like fashion, engagement of cam 36 with cam track 34 causes the support element 16 and its associated rotatable platform I2 to move toward the left or downwardly as viewed in FIG. 5. i

In order to impart rotary motion to rotatable platform 12, an abutment element 37 is fixedly mounted on rod 28 and on an adjacent rod 38 and a downwardly protruding part 38 is fixedly mounted on the lower surface of platform 12. Thus as support element I6 moves toward the left or downwardly as viewed in FIG. 5, the downwardly protruding part 39 collides with abutment surface 40 of abutment element 37 and thus causes rotatable platform I2 to rotate in a clock-wise direction in coordination with transverse movement of support element I6.

If rotation of rotatable platform 12 in a counter clockwise direction should be desired, the parts are simply arranged so that downwardly protruding part 39 collides with fixed abutment 4| secured to rods 28 and 38 and more specifically to abutment surface 42 thereof. Of course such an operation would require movement toward the right or upwardly as viewed in FIG. 5 of platform 16 and toward this end a cam would be provided in a suitable location on the underneath surface of cross beam 25 and would cooperate with cam track 33 to impart movement toward the right or upwardly as viewed in FIG. 5.

In any event, rotation of rotatable platform 12 in one direction or the other is limited by a suitable stop 43 which engages the surface 44 of support element 16 to limit rotary motion of platform 12 to a desired position.

Where transverse but not rotary motion is desired, the support plates such as 9 and [0 of FIG. 6 are simply moved to one side or the other as is desired by cam tracks 33 and 34 which cooperate with suitable protrusions formed on plates 9 and I0 and which function in a manner identical to the cams 35 and 36 In order to prevent items such as I from sliding off of rotatable platforms such as l l l4 and support plates such as 9 and 10 and onto the conveyor, the coverplates 6 and 7 are configured along their inner edges 60 and 7a to conform generally with the path of travel of the items "P". By this means, entanglement and accompanying difficulties associated with an item P which becomes dislodged from its associated rotatable platform or support plate are prevented. In certain areas such as adjacent the widely spaced edges 6b and 7b of plates 6 and 7, it is desirable to provide means for preventing undesired collision and jamming due to disengagement of an item P from its associated plate or platform. Thus as is evident especially in FIG. 5, movable spot coverplates such as 45 and 46 are affixed to cam beams 25 and 26 respectively and are utilized to fill in areas adjacent the support ele ments l6 and 17 and more particularly in the region from which such elements are moved by the cam means. If the parts are arranged to cause part 39 to engage surface 42, coverplate 45 would be moved adjacent beam 26.

While abutment elements 3'! and 41 are shown in FIG. as two separate pieces, it will be understood that such structure could be formed as a single piece ifdeaired.

In order to guard against jamming in the region between adjacent rotatable elements 12 and I3, coverplates 47 and 48 are suitably mounted by bolts 49 to support block 51 mounted on transverse rods such as 52 and 53.

From the above description, it is apparent that the invention makes possible a great variety of orientation patterns for articles such as P". One such orientation pattern is represented in FIG. 2 wherein packages such as P1 are brought in from the right toward the left on a suitable conveyor and sent through the divider-rotator DR where packages such as P2, P3, P4, and P5 are divided into two rows and simultaneously rotated to form a pattern such as is represented at P6, P7, P8 and P9. Such a pattern as is represented at P6 P9 is adapted for end loading by means of the pusher element 54 into a container C" in a manner obvious in FIG. 2.

While the arrangement of FIG. 2 constitutes one application of the invention, it will be understood that the divider-rotator, instead of supplying units to a case packer, may simply receive the units from a packaging machine, divide and rotate the articles and transmit them to a separate conveyor. On the other hand the divider-rotator may be used as an independent unit receiving articles from one conveyor and transmitting them to a second conveyor with the orientation of the items achieved by the divider-rotator being such as to accommodate the particular application of the invention. To accomplish this the package P must be metered into the divider-rotator by some mechanism so that the packages are deposited on their respec' tive rotatable elements. More specifically it is obvious that the rotatable platforms such as ll 14 inclusive can be located in any desired position on the conveyor 2. Thus an almost limitless variety of patterns may be achieved according to this invention in a simple and eificient manner.

Where transverse motion is desired with respect to some items P, the arrangement of FIG. 6 may be used. For example, the slide plates 9 and may be individually mounted on a pair of rods. As is best seen in FIG. 4 slide plate It) includes a base plate 54 on which a yieldable high friction pad 55 is mounted. Slide blocks 56 are affixed by bolt 57 to base plate 54 and rods 58 and 59 are received within channels 60 and 61 formed in blocks 56. Preferably each slide plate is mounted on two slide blocks, one near each end and one such slide block is provided with a cam 62 for engaging either carn track 33 or cam track 34 to cause transverse but not substantial rotary motion to an item P which ordinarily is carried by a plurality of slide plates such as I00, [0b, 10c, 10d and 10: which move in sequence to one side or the other and while so moving cause a slight rotation in one direction initially followed by reverse rotation after all slide blocks in a group complete their transverse movement at which time the item P is restored to its original condition of alignment with conveyor 8.

As explained the arrangement of FIG. 1 employs both transverse and rotary motion and thus uses rotary elements such as l l 14 as well as transversely slidable elements 9 and 10. It is obvious that many orientation patterns are possible by appropriate choice of the numbers and arrangements of rotary platforms such as 11 [4 relative to slidable plates such as 9 and [0.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A divider-rotatormechanism comprising conveyor means having a working reach movable along a predetermined path, a support element mounted on said conveyor means and movable thereon in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of said working reach. a platform rotatably mounted on said support element. abutment means fixedly mounted on said conveyor means adjacent said support element for imparting rotary motion to said platfonn in coordination with transverse movement of said support element and including a pair of spaced abutment surfaces selectively engageable with a part of said platform dependent upon the direction of transverse movement of said support element relative to said path of movement.

2. A divider-rotator mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said part of said platform is interposed between said abutment surfaces.

3. A divider-rotator mechanism comprising conveyor means having a working reach movable along a predetermined path and including a plurality of generally parallel transverse rods secured at their ends to a pair of endless elements, a support element slidably mounted on a pair of said rods and movable thereon in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of said working reach, a platform rotatably mounted on said support element, and an abutment element fixedly mounted on at least one of said rods adjacent said support element and engageable with a part of said platform in coordination with transverse movement of said support element relative to said predetermined path for imparting rotary motion to said platform.

4. A divider-rotator mechanism comprising conveyor means having a working reach movable along a predetermined path, a support element mounted on said conveyor means and movable thereon in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of said working reach, a platform rotatably mounted on said support element, and an abutment element fixedly mounted on said conveyor means adjacent said support element and engageable with a part of said platform in coordination with transverse movement of said support element relative to said predetermined path for imparting rotary motion to said platform.

i i i i 

1. A divider-rotator mechanism comprising conveyor means having a working reach movable along a predetermined path, a support element mounted on said conveyor means and movable thereon in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of said working reach, a platform rotatably mounted on said support element, abutment means fixedly mounted on said conveyor means adjacent said support element for imparting rotary motion to said platform in coordination with transverse movement of said support element and including a pair of spaced abutment surfaces selectively engageable with a part of said platform dependent upon the direction of transverse movement of said support element relative to said path of movement.
 2. A divider-rotator mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said part of said platform is interposed between said abutment surfaces.
 3. A divider-rotator mechanism comprising conveyor means having a working reach movable along a predetermined path and including a plurality of generally parallel transverse rods secured at their ends to a pair of endless elements, a support element slidably mounted on a pair of said rods and movable thereon in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of said working reach, a platform rotatably mounted on said support element, and an abutment element fixedly mounted on at least one of said rods adjacent said support element and engageable with a part of said platform in coordination with transverse movement of said support element relative to said predetermined path for imparting rotary motion to said platform.
 4. A divider-rotator mechanism comprising conveyor means having a working reach movable along a predetermined path, a support element mounted on said conveyor means and movable thereon in a direction generally transverse to the direction of movement of said working reach, a platform rotatably mounted on said support element, and an abutment element fixedly mounted on said conveyor means adjacent said support element and engageable with a part of said platform in coordination with transverse movement of said support element relative to said predetermined path for imparting rotary motion to said platform. 